[Tuxedo Mask]

Does anybody have a suggestion for giving the GTO a bath? Car Wash? Hand Wash? If hand wash, then what mixture or ration do you use for soap and water?

 

[kevracer]

washing your GTO

I take joy in hand washing my GTO in my driveway. I prefer to use Meguiar's car wash concentrate (it's cheaper than the more famous brands) use 1 ounce to a gallon, and change the water frequently if the car is dirty. NEVER use dish soap, laundry detergent, or shampoo.

 

[lisatw151]

I hand wash mine also. It's black and I'm afraid the swirl marks would be outrageous. I use Zaino's car wash (polish too) and I have never had such beautiful results. Especially from the polish. Unbelievable shine. Looks like glass.

 

[adearmas]

Handwash with TURTLE WAX car wash product and then I apply some Turtle wax. use something to clean the wheels and tires and the put some Rain X on the windshields. After that I prepare myself a drink and sit by the pool watching the sky with a stare to prevent raining.

 

[LarryM]

Here in Chicagoland it will soon be past the season to do your own car washing. Like it or not - that is unless you can accept a driveway that's an ice patch.

When I first got mine dirty, I wasn't at all sure it would fit thru the local wash. I drove up and before I went thru, showed the car to the manager - who happened to have had a classic GTO once upon a time. He laughed and told me they do cars that are much lower to the ground. Now we're buds and if he's anywhere around, will come up and ask "How many miles now?"

So fear not those daily drivers about to begin experiencing winter (and there's a mention of SNOW in Chicago's Saturday forecast!). You'll be able to knock all the salt off with no particular problem.

---Larry

 

[LarryM]

Rainex?

... and the put some Rain X on the windshields...

adearmas - I just spent a good portion of my Saturday afternoon with a bottle of Soft Scrub and a buffer removing the Rainex from my windsheild. It looked good when I first put it on, but somewhere along the way something happened and I could NOT get the windsheild to be totally clean and streak free. Most of the time it would look okay, -until- driving right into the sun.

I tried several diferent cleaners, in the end, it was my assumption that the Rainex was causing the cleaner to bead up too much (just like the water) and not allowing it to clean the glass. After I buffed off the Rainex, the windows are streak free.

Have you ever experienced this kind of problem?

---Larry

 

[SFLGOAT]

Larry:

I've been using rain x for years. It just like painting. It is all in the prep.

Thoroughly clean you windshield AND wiperblades with cleanser or a good degreaser. Road film with an oily base usually does not come off with windex. Shake the bottle well. I usually use an old atheletic sock to apply it. Do the entire windshield in a circular motion and then do it again.
Make sure the glass is not hot to the touch. Don't over apply it. Take a clean sock and buff everything off. Then sprinkle water on the glass and wipe with paper towel for anthing that didn't come off.

I think I read somewhere that rubbing alcohol will remove the rain-x. I also believe it said vinegar based cleaners will affect it. :cheers

 

[westell]

zaino

so far, two coats of zaino.

never, never, through the car wash

 

[LarryM]

Larry:

I've been using rain x for years. It just like painting. It is all in the prep.

Thoroughly clean you windshield AND wiperblades with cleanser or a good degreaser. Road film with an oily base usually does not come off with windex. Shake the bottle well. I usually use an old atheletic sock to apply it. Do the entire windshield in a circular motion and then do it again.
Make sure the glass is not hot to the touch. Don't over apply it. Take a clean sock and buff everything off. Then sprinkle water on the glass and wipe with paper towel for anthing that didn't come off.

I think I read somewhere that rubbing alcohol will remove the rain-x. I also believe it said vinegar based cleaners will affect it. :cheers

I got the removal tip from the Rainex site itself. They suggested Softscrub or Bon Ami. I had a bottle of Softscrub.

I dunno. I put the Rainex on right after I got the car. It was fine at first, then just went to Streak City. I tried 3 or 4 different cleaners, cloth, paper towels, newspaper - nothing would come up streak free. And since it had been so dry here I used the windsheild wipers the first time just the other day, so it just wasn't worth the slight benefit. Besides, far too much of my drive time is under the speed necessary for Rainex to help.

I have plenty of Rainex left in the bottle if you'd like to have it.


---Larry

 

[capra2d]

zaino

so far, two coats of zaino.

never, never, through the car wash

My GTO is my first new car in a long, long time, so I hadn't kept up on all of the finish care products. After reading some other boards, I decided on the Zaino Brothers' products. Not having used the other high-end products, I have no basis for comparison, but Zaino is fantastic! It was a lot of work, but I'm glad I did it.

If you order from them, consider the bundled packages. You'll save money and avoid delays you will otherwise have when you realize you shoulda bought all the stuff and have to re-order.

Oh yeah -- No car washes.

 

[Tuxedo Mask]

Are car washes bad for the GTO? Is the paint that delicate? My ride is getting a little dirty and it's time to give her a bath. Is it okay to mix 1/4 of soap and 3/4 of water in a bucket? Is Zaino something i can buy a auto zone?

 

[SFLGOAT]

I got the removal tip from the Rainex site itself. They suggested Softscrub or Bon Ami. I had a bottle of Softscrub.

I dunno. I put the Rainex on right after I got the car. It was fine at first, then just went to Streak City. I tried 3 or 4 different cleaners, cloth, paper towels, newspaper - nothing would come up streak free. And since it had been so dry here I used the windsheild wipers the first time just the other day, so it just wasn't worth the slight benefit. Besides, far too much of my drive time is under the speed necessary for Rainex to help.

I have plenty of Rainex left in the bottle if you'd like to have it.


---Larry

Thanks for the offer, but it sounds like you got a bad bottle. :confused

 

[LarryM]

Are car washes bad for the GTO? Is the paint that delicate? My ride is getting a little dirty and it's time to give her a bath. Is it okay to mix 1/4 of soap and 3/4 of water in a bucket? Is Zaino something i can buy a auto zone?

I've run mine thru the car wash about a dozen times, washed it by hand about as many. An advantage of the car wash, particuarly in the winter time is that they spray UP underneath the car, getting all the salt off the undercarriage.

The couple different car soap's I've used both called for 1 ounce per gallon. That should be about an 1/8th of a cup in most parts of the world. As mentioned in another post of this thread, do not use dish soap, laundry detergent, or any other non-auto specific cleaner. Personally I like something that is only soap/detergent, not a combination soap/wax. You end up getting wax where it doesn't belong with a combo.

Oh! And those of you with pressure washers - don't do what a friend of mine did and pressured the strips right off his car! None of the seals were meant to take the kind of water pressure that can be generated. So don't aim that stream right at the door seam.


---Larry

 

[capra2d]

"Is Zaino something i can buy a auto zone?"

No. Just log on to www.zainobros.com You'll get redirected to their "store."

They ship on same-day basis. Consider the "Zaino Ultimate Protection Show Car Kit."

 

[capra2d]

My GTO is my first new car in a long, long time, so I hadn't kept up on all of the finish care products. After reading some other boards, I decided on the Zaino Brothers' products. Not having used the other high-end products, I have no basis for comparison, but Zaino is fantastic! It was a lot of work, but I'm glad I did it.

If you order from them, consider the bundled packages. You'll save money and avoid delays you will otherwise have when you realize you shoulda bought all the stuff and have to re-order.

Oh yeah -- No car washes.

Having read comments by fellow Goat-owners in other parts of the U.S., please allow me to qualify my "No car washes" edict.

Easy for me to say . . . living here in Phoenix. Shoot, there are times in January and February when the thermometer "plunges" to +40 deg. that I don't care to hand wash my car -- and I don't have the salt issue to deal with, either. When caring becomes slaving over the car, it's time for a reality check.

LarryM, you got it right!!!
:cheers

 

[westell]

My GTO is my first new car in a long, long time, so I hadn't kept up on all of the finish care products. After reading some other boards, I decided on the Zaino Brothers' products. Not having used the other high-end products, I have no basis for comparison, but Zaino is fantastic! It was a lot of work, but I'm glad I did it.

If you order from them, consider the bundled packages. You'll save money and avoid delays you will otherwise have when you realize you shoulda bought all the stuff and have to re-order.

Oh yeah -- No car washes.

Zaino - the thinner the coat the better, that's the trick :cool

 

[rollins215]

I've never used Zaino products before, but I'm interested. I went to the website and got an idea of what I need, but which polish should I get...the one for clearcoat, non-clearcoat, or the one for swirling? My GTO is red and already has a bit of swirliness, does that mean I need the swirling one or is that only for really bad, surface-is-jacked swirling?

 

[westell]

I've never used Zaino products before, but I'm interested. I went to the website and got an idea of what I need, but which polish should I get...the one for clearcoat, non-clearcoat, or the one for swirling? My GTO is red and already has a bit of swirliness, does that mean I need the swirling one or is that only for really bad, surface-is-jacked swirling?

You can go mild to wild here, but this is what I did.

I got the Z-2 (clearcoat) and the Z-5 (swirl)

and you gotta do clay bar first to get the rail dust and other contaminates off, you'll be surprised what comes off the goat.

clay bar, Z5, then Z2 after that just coat up, every other wash or so..

now, alot of folks say you gotta get the flash cure ZFX and they swear by it, but I've not done it yet and I'm real happy with results. I used McQuires before but Zaino blows it away. And, have not tried any other Zaino dressings, etc...

once you get it down, it's a breeze to do. took about 1 hr to put a coat on and off. remember, thin, thin, thin. i think the biggest mistake is people try to put this on like other waxes and polishes and it's a different animal.

 

[rollins215]

Thanks, I'll get both the Z5 and the Z2, then. I am planning on getting the claybar and Z7 cleaner, too.

 

[rollins215]

Just ordered Z1 Polish Lok, Z2 & Z5 polish, Z6 enhancer, Z7 car wash, Z18 ClayBar, and some polish applicators. I think that should about cover it! I'm going to do my wife's Golf TDI with this stuff, too.